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David Suzuki Foundation asks Canadians: What's inside your cosmetics?

New survey to uncover the toxic chemicals in our personal care products

OTTAWA, April 8 /CNW/ - What chemicals are in your cosmetics and personal care products? The David Suzuki Foundation wants to find out.

Today marks the launch of a national survey that will ask Canadians to pull back their shower curtains and register their personal care products - from shampoos, soaps and lotions, to an assortment of makeup - in an effort to find out just how prevalent toxic chemicals are in the products used by Canadians. Individuals can now log-on to submit their product ingredients at: www.davidsuzuki.org/whatsinside.

"It's not uncommon for a single person to use 10 or more personal care products daily," says Lisa Gue, environmental health policy analyst for the Foundation.

But some of the ingredients in beauty products aren't that pretty. U.S. researchers found that one in eight of the 82,000 ingredients used in personal care products are industrial chemicals, including carcinogens, pesticides, reproductive toxins, plasticizers, and degreasers.

But how common are key chemicals of concern in the products Canadians use? The David Suzuki Foundation will present results in September, along with recommendations for strengthening laws to protect Canadians from harmful chemicals in personal care products.

"The survey results will help us push for stronger regulations on Canadian cosmetics to protect our collective health and the environment," says Ms. Gue.

Note to media: Interested in a story idea for Earth Day (April 22nd)? We can walk you or your reporters through your personal products and tell you what's safe, what's not and what you can do to stay chemical-free.